Pray for Dawn
by xfilesguy123
Summary: The Martins find themselves prisoners in their own suite when four ruthless criminals hold them hostage. The hostage takers assure the Martins they'll leave at dawn. Now Carey and her boys must survive until dawn and try to save an innocent life. Rated T
1. Chapter 1

PRAY FOR DAWN

A lot of you probably know that all of my stories have taken a medical route. Not this one. This kind of story is actually my favorite to write. I really hope this develops into a truly suspenseful and maybe at times terrifying experience for readers.

Chapter 1

Zack Martin sighed as he looked up at the clock again. Another ten minutes until summer vacation started. Although his last period class was having an end of the year party, Zack was still stir crazy. He just wanted school to end. In two weeks, he and his brother and mother were going on a cruise to the Bahamas. London Tipton, the heiress to the Tipton Hotel fortune, was paying for the entire cruise and vacation in the Bahamas. Of course London was coming too. As was Maddie Fitzpatrick, the candy counter girl at the Tipton. The bell finally rang. The teacher said her last goodbye and then excused the class. Zack couldn't get to the bus fast enough. His brother, Cody, was waiting for him at the school entrance.

"You look like you just won the lottery," said Cody.

"It's been a tough year. I'm glad it's over. Not to mention the fact that we're two weeks away from a vacation in the Bahamas," said Zack, as he and Cody walked towards the bus.

"Don't forget. Mom has her big show tonight," said Cody.

"She has a big show every night," said Zack. The boys got on the bus, which was already filled with the excited chatter of kids anxious for a relaxing summer.

"A very famous lawyer and his family are staying at the Tipton. Mr. Moseby asked Mom to put on a special show for them. And we have to go," said Cody.

"Whatever," said Zack. He was in too good of a mood to argue. Two weeks and counting until an awesome vacation.

Detective Nick Miller walked into the lobby of the Tipton hotel. He sighed as he walked up to the front desk. The girl on duty smiled at him.

"Welcome to the Tipton. How may I help you?" asked the girl.

"Detective Nick Miller. I'm here to see Robert Harrison," said Nick.

"Is he expecting you?" asked the girl. "No one is to disturb Mr. Harrison."

"Yes, he's expecting me," said Nick.

"I'll have to call and check. I have strict orders from my boss and the police not to let anyone up there," said the girl. Nick sighed as the girl dialed Robert Harrison's room number. This security detail was starting to become a pain in the ass. Nick wasn't working on the security team assembled by the Boston Police Department to protect Prosecuting Attorney Robert Harrison. Nick was the lead detective on the murder case Harrison was working on. The fourteen and sixteen year old daughters of Massachusetts senator William Thorne had been kidnapped, raped, and murdered by the only son of oil tycoon Xavier Murdock. The police had arrested young Dennis Murdock after only a month of investigation. But Dennis' father was a man of extreme influence and had the first pieces of evidence thrown out through bribes. He also hired a huge defense team led by Paul Woodworth, a morally corrupt defense lawyer who was infamous for getting murderers and child molesters out of jail time. With their back against the walls, the Boston PD called in Nick to do some serious detective work and find evidence that would convict the sadistic and protected Dennis dead to rights. Senator Thorne and his wife had called in Harrison personally. Harrison had never lost a case. If anyone was going to prosecute Dennis Murdock it was Harrison.

After getting approval by the front desk girl, Nick headed for the 23rd floor, where Harrison and his family were staying. Harrison had cops around him at all times. The prosecuting team feared that Murdock would get desperate and hire a hit man. Harrison had come under attack from hit men before. Nick had experience with hit men. He had worked some pretty serious murder cases where a lot of people fearing prosecution turned to hired guns. It usually never worked out. Cases were usually too big for the deaths of key witnesses and players to go unnoticed.

Nick jumped as his cell phone rang as he was walking down the hall.

"Miller here," said Nick answering.

"It's Howard. We've got a serious development," said the caller. Nick felt his heart to pound as he listened to his captain, John Howard talk.

"The FBI are involved. Seems something new had developed. We think that someone on Murdock's side hired the Archangel," said Howard, his voice gruff and uneven. Nick felt his breath catch in his throat. He had only heard stories about the Archangel. He had seen crime scene photos of victims he supposedly killed. The Archangel was a legend. No one knew if he even existed. But the thought of him being hired by Murdock sent a chill up Nick's spine. The Archangel, if he even existed, was the best hit man in the world. He arrived in a city, did his jobs, and left before anyone knew what was happening. He was notorious for getting his jobs done and escaping in less then 24 hours.

The plane arrived on time. The 12:15 PM from Miami arrived at the Boston Logan Airport at exactly 3:00 PM. Vincent Lassiter calmly walked towards the airport exit. He was carrying only one bag with him, his suitcase. He wasn't staying in Boston long. He had a seven-thirty flight out of Boston the following morning. He had seventeen hours to get his jobs done. If all went well, the last job would be done at four-thirty. That would give Vincent two and a half hours to catch his plane. He would be flying out with an entirely different airline and a different name. At the moment his ticket said that his name was Keith Parsons. His next ticket would say his name was John Olsen. Vincent never used the name Vincent or Lassiter. He never bought round trip tickets and he almost never met his employers. To the world, Vincent basically didn't exist. There was no longer a record of Vincent Lassiter. His parents were long since dead and his only brother had died in Vietnam. Vincent was alone in the world. The only name he was known by was The Archangel.

Vincent hailed a cab and told the driver to take him to the Tipton. This job was going to be a little different. Vincent's employer was sending out a team of three men to take a family hostage at the Tipton in case Vincent needed some collateral over the police to make a quick exit. Vincent would be in charge as soon as he arrived. If the family obeyed and did everything they were told to, Vincent would leave at dawn and all their problems would go away. Vincent knew that the need for survival would kick in and the hostages would rebel. And Vincent would solve that with three bullets.

Zack and Cody found their mother rehearsing in the Tipton lounge.

"Hi, guys," said Carey, stepping off the stage.

"Are you ready for tonight?" asked Cody. Carey let out a deep, exhausted sigh.

"As ready as I can be," said Carey. She picked up a glass of water and gulped it down.

"Well, we'll be there to give you support," said Cody,

"As will the entire Tipton staff," said Moseby, walking into the room. "Carey, I must say. That last piece you did was amazing."

"Ah, thank you, Moseby," said Carey.

"So what's the deal with this lawyer guy?" asked Zack, losing interest in the conversation.

"He's one of the top prosecuting attorneys in the country. I want him to be treated like a king," said Moseby. "So please don't bother him."

"Don't worry. Cops wouldn't let the boys near him," said Carey. Moseby excused himself to go deal with other matters.

"Come on. Let's go eat an early dinner. I'm famished. We'll order room service. Something special," said Carey. She and the boys headed upstairs to their suite. Oddly the lights were off when they entered.

"I didn't leave these off," said Carey. She turned them on. Suddenly a hand went over her mouth. She watched in horror as two men jumped from behind the couch and grabbed Zack and Cody. Knives were held to their throats. Carey tried to scream.

"Don't bother," said the man holding Carey. Zack let out a cry of pain as a small cut was made on his neck.

"Now you either cooperate or those little boys jugulars are going to be cut open and you can watch them bleed to death."

I might as well say to be continued. Reviews are appreciated. Next chapter will be more exciting.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming. Here's chapter 2.

Chapter 2

Carey was shoved onto the couch. Zack and Cody were sat down on either side of her. Carey looked at the cut on Zack's neck. He'd be alright. The leader sat down in a chair. Carey gasped. She recognized him from the news. It was Dennis Murdock. What did he want?  
"Please don't hurt us," said Carey.

"No one will get hurt if you cooperate fully with us. A friend of mine is in town and needs a place to lay low. He'll be here in a few minutes," said Dennis.

"What are you doing at the Tipton?" asked Cody.

"It's the nicest hotel in Boston. It's also the last place people would think to look for me," said Dennis. Carey turned her attention to the other two men. One had silver hair and seemed to be in early forties. The other was totally bald and was looking at Carey with a sickening hunger.

"You killed those two innocent girls. How do we know you won't kill us?" asked Cody.

"I have never killed anyone," said Dennis.

"Robert Harrison is going to prove you did," said Cody. Dennis narrowed his eyes. He leaned forward and slapped Cody. Cody yelped.

"Don't touch my boys," said Carey, cradling Cody in her arms.

"We are not going to even mention Robert Harrison. That man is trying to ruin my life," said Dennis.

"This has something to do with those two girls you killed, doesn't it?" asked Zack.

"I said enough!" Dennis pulled out a gun and pointed it at Zack's head. Zack whimpered and huddled against Carey.

"Please don't hurt them. We'll do whatever you ask," said Carey.

"That's what I like to hear," said Dennis. He put the gun away.

"We're going to sit tight until you have to perform. Then you're going to go downstairs and sing while we watch the boys. John here will accompany you downstairs," said Dennis, motioning towards the man with silver hair.

"I'm supposed to trust you not to hurt my boys?" asked Carey.

"You don't have a choice," said Dennis. "If you try anything funny, John will call me and I will execute both your sons." Zack and Cody both let out a whimper. Carey held them both in her arms. They were trapped.

Dina Warren continued to cut vegetables. The news was on the reporter on screen was giving the latest updates on the Dennis Murdock Trial. Dina sighed. In less then 24 hours, she would testify against the son of one of the most powerful men in the country. She had been hiking when she saw Dennis Murdock and two other men drag the body of a young girl deep into the woods of northern Massachusetts. The prosecuting team needed her to testify against Murdock in order to make a stronger case. The defense would try to destroy her credibility and her story. Dina had to be strong. There was a knock at the door.

"Coming," said Dina. She put the knife she had been using down and walked towards the front door. She looked through the peephole. A well-dressed man was standing in the hall.

"Who is it?" asked Dina, her fingers shaking.

"Ma'am, I work with Robert Harrison. He sent me here to go over your statement one last time," said the man. He held up some documents with Robert Harrison's signature and official seal on them. Dina breathed a sigh of relief. Dina unlocked the door and opened it slowly.

"Come on in," said Dina. The man raised a gun and shot Dina in the head. Dina crumpled to the ground. Vincent Lassiter looked up and down the hall to make sure no one had heard anything. The hall remained empty. He made a search of Dina's apartment. She lived alone. Vincent left Dina lying by her front door. He walked back to his rental car, ready for the next job.

Nick watched as Robert Harrison continued to pace.

"A hit man? Damnit. How do we handle this?" asked Robert.

"Start figuring out who a likely target would be," said Nick.

"There's a lot of witnesses and lawyers involved in this case. Cops. FBI agents. It could be anyone," said Robert. He sighed and sat down in a chair.

"This is just what I need," said Robert.

"Don't start panicking yet. We don't know if a hit man has even been hired," said Nick.

"What do you know about this Archangel?" asked Robert. Nick sighed.

"He's a legend really. The best in the business. Can complete all his jobs within 24 hours. No one knows who he is or what he even looks like. Hell, we're not really sure if he exists," said Nick. Robert leaned back in his chair.

"I just want this case to be over," said Robert. Nick nodded his head. He wanted the case to be over too. And if the Archangel was hunting people down that night, it'd be over sooner then anyone thought.

Carey sighed. The men had been in the suite now for two hours. Carey had to sing in forty minutes.

"Almost time. You should get ready," said Dennis, walking over. Carey nodded and stood up.

"Mom no," said Cody, trying to pull her back down.

"It's OK, honey. I'm not leaving yet," said Carey. She headed towards the bathroom. That's when she saw a letter opener sitting on a table. She had been opening some mail earlier that day. The bald man was walking towards her. Carey saw her opportunity. She grabbed the letter opener without anyone seeing her. As the bald man passed her, she grabbed him around the neck and held the letter opener up to his jugular.

"All of you out of my suite," said Carey. Dennis shook his head. He took his gun out.

"I'll kill your buddy," said Carey. Dennis shrugged.

"OK," he said. He pointed the gun at Cody's head.

"No, wait, don-" before Carey could say anything else, Dennis pulled the trigger.

Aren't I evil? If you want to know what happens to Cody, you have to review.


	3. Chapter 3

Everything changes in this chapter. It's my favorite so far. Sorry about the swearing for those who don't like swear words. Please review. Thanks a lot to all those who have been reviewing.

Chapter 3

Time seemed to stand still. Carey let out a choked scream as Zack covered his face with his hands, not wanting to see the inevitable shower of blood. Cody made a sound that was like a combination whimper and choked scream of mortal terror. There was no blood. No bits of Cody's skull that would have sprayed over Zack and the couch. There was just smoke and Dennis' maniacal laughter. Carey's heart was racing. Zack looked around. Cody was gasping for breath.

"This gun has blanks in it," said Dennis. John and the bald man were laughing. The bald man took the letter opener away from Carey. Carey rushed over to Cody and embraced him. Cody sobbed into his mother's embrace.

"You monster," said Carey, looking at Dennis. Dennis grinned.

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Dennis. He sat down in a chair. Carey sat down and held Cody in her arms, rubbing his back. _What the hell was I thinking_, thought Carey. _I could have just lost Cody_. Dennis leaned forward.

"You try something like that again and the gun won't be loaded with blanks," said Dennis. Carey nodded slowly. She was powerless. She had no choice but to do what Dennis wanted.

Prosecuting attorney Annie White was expecting a lot to happen that night. Her boss had insisted that she be the one who goes and assists Robert Harrison in his case. Annie was expecting a lot of shit to hit the fan. She was expecting a lot of big wigs and tough as nails cops to be there. But she was not expecting to see Nick Miller. Nick answered the door and Annie felt her heart sink. The case had just become ten times more complicated. Nick flashed her a smile. Annie half-heartedly returned it. She let out a sigh as she walked into Harrison's suite.

"Nice place," said Annie.

"It's not mine. I've living in a shitty apartment that has a plumbing problem and big ass rats," said Nick. "Thank God I live in my office most of the time." Nick sat down on the sofa.

"So what brings you here?" asked Nick.

"I'm assisting Mr. Harrison," said Annie. Nick nodded.

"Where is he?" asked Annie.

"Meeting in the executive dining room downstairs with Senator Thorne and a lot of very important people," said Nick.

"What are you doing here?" asked Annie.

"I'm the lead detective on this case," said Nick. "I did the investigating that led to that prick Murdock's arrest."

"Ah, yes. Now I remember seeing your name on the case file," said Annie. "Ah, fuck, this is going to a long night. Nick smiled. _This is going to be a fun night_, thought Nick.

Vincent walked towards the suite where the hostages were. The rest of his jobs were in the Tipton and surrounding area. Vincent heard commotion coming from inside. Then he heard a woman's voice.

"Run boys, run!" Vincent smiled. They were trying to escape. Vincent stood outside the door and waited for it to open. It opened fast and nearly hit Vincent. Two blond boys nearly collided with Vincent. Vincent shoved them back in the suite. He closed the door and pointed his gun at the boys. John and Cyrus, the bald man, were restraining a woman with short, blond hair. Dennis was slowly getting up from behind the couch. He was holding his head in pain.

"You fucking bitch," said Dennis. "I warned you." He slapped Carey across the face.

"Dennis, don't touch her," said Vincent. Dennis froze.

"Seems you're already fucking shit up," said Vincent.

"I'm sorry, Vincent. I know I'm putting you at risk," said Dennis. Vincent glared at Dennis.

"Oh shit, I used your name," said Dennis. Vincent's glare faded and he grinned.

"That's OK. I'll get my jobs done and get out of here," said Vincent.

"Who's the second job?" asked Dennis. Vincent suddenly shot Dennis in the head. Blood splattered on the wall behind him. Dennis fell to the ground.

"You," said Vincent.

"Your father found out you actually did it. He was more then disgusted," said Vincent. He glared at the woman.

Carey couldn't believe it. Dennis Murdock was dead. There goes the trial.

"Come here," said Vincent. John pushed Carey towards Vincent. Zack and Cody were still on the ground.

"Now, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Vincent. And you are." Vincent pointed his gun at Carey's head.

"Carey. Carey Martin." Vincent nodded.

"The boys?"

"Zack and Cody." Carey let out a choked cry.

"Now, Carey, you're going to be punished for trying to escape. I'm going to shoot either Zack or Cody in the leg. It will be a nasty wound but they'll make it. They won't bleed to death. Now, think really hard. And you pick who I shoot. If you don't pick in thirty seconds, I'll kill them both." Carey's mouth dropped in horror. She looked down at Zack and Cody. They were both quietly crying and holding each other.

"Clock is ticking, Carey," said Vincent. "Zack or Cody." Carey gulped. She had to choose. She had to choose. Carey started crying and pointed at one of the boys.

So, who do you think Carey chose? Aren't I evil? Oh, I would like something answered. Who's scarier: Vincent or Dennis? I know Dennis is dead but just go with what he did before he got killed. Remember he raped and killed those two girls.


	4. Chapter 4

Yeah. Chapter 4. All right. Mostly good guessing from people. Thinking Zack will be chosen. Read and find out what happens. Thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming.

Chapter 4

Zack's mouth dropped open as Carey pointed towards him.

"I'm sorry, baby. You handle pain better," said Carey. Vincent smiled.

"See that wasn't so hard," said Vincent. He shot Cody in the leg. Carey gasped and stumbled backwards. Cody was crying his eyes out and holding his leg. Zack backed up, afraid Vincent would shoot him next. Vincent glared at Carey.

"That's what you get for trying to escape," said Vincent. Carey knelt down next to Cody. His cries had died down to whimpering. Carey put a hand over his wound. The bullet had gone right through.

"He needs to go to the hospital," said Carey.

"He'll be fine," said Vincent, putting his gun away.

"He'll bleed to death," said Carey.

"Mom, it hurts," said Cody.

"How do I stop the bleeding? Please tell me," said Carey. Vincent sighed and knelt down next to Cody. He grabbed Cody's sleeve and ripped it off. He then tied the fabric tightly around Cody's leg wound. Cody yelped in pain.

"That'll hold until he has time to go to a hospital," said Vincent. Carey helped Cody onto the couch. She elevated his leg a little so blood wouldn't start collecting.

"You've got to sing soon," said Vincent, checking his watch.

"I can't leave Cody like this," said Carey.

"If you don't sing, people come up here looking for you. I don't want more people up here and I don't think you want another dead body in your suite," said Vincent, pointing towards Dennis who's head was still bleeding. Carey closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"Fine," said Carey. She looked at Zack, who was backed up against the wall and looking at her with hurt eyes. Carey felt a stab of guilt. She had picked him to be shot in the leg. It wouldn't surprise her if Zack hated her at the moment.

"Vince, you want us to clean up this shit and get rid of the body?" asked John, standing over Dennis.

"Yeah. Let's wait until Carey is back from singing and I come back from my next job. Just move the body into another room and clean up the blood," said Vincent. John nodded and he and Cyrus got to work.

"So what do you do?" asked Carey. Vincent looked at her.

"I take care of people's problems," said Vincent.

"You're a hit man," said Cody. Vincent nodded.

"You're purely evil then. You kill people for profit," said Cody, wincing as his leg started hurting again.

"Might want to get him some painkillers," said Vincent. Carey got up and went to the kitchen. Zack glared at her.

"Zack, sweetie, I know you're upset. But now is not the time," said Carey, getting some Ibuprofen out.

"You told that man to shoot me in the leg," said Zack through gritted teeth.

"He told me to choose or he would kill you both. I knew you would handle the pain better and that Cody would be an emotional wreck if I picked him," said Carey.

"How do you think I feel?" asked Zack, glaring at his mother.

"I know you're upset. But you're also stronger then Cody. I know you'll get over this." Carey kneeled down next to Zack.

"I've never been sorry about anything then I am right now. But I did it to protect you guys. Zack, we need to work as a family if we're going to get through this. I'm sorry, baby but I need you to forgive me. Just for now," said Carey. Zack nodded. Carey embraced him and Zack leaned it into it and held his mother tight.

"Mom, I'm scared," whispered Zack, now crying.

"I know, baby. Me too," said Carey. The two separated and Carey kissed Zack's forehead. She then poured Cody a glass of water and took the Ibuprofen over to him. She gave him two pills and let him drink all the water. Cody leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Carey ran a hand through his hair.

"You need to go get ready, Carey," said Vincent. Carey nodded and walked towards the bathroom, wincing as she passed by the large pool of blood that had collected around Dennis' head. Dennis had been put in Zack and Cody's room. Carey hoped that she and the boys wouldn't end on the floor right next to him.

Nick and Annie looked up from reading over files as the door to Robert Harrison's suite opened. A thirteen-year-old boy came walking in.

"Oh. Hi, Nick," said the boy.

"Hi, Miles," said Nick. Miles Harrison smiled.

"Where's my dad?" asked Miles.

"In a meeting," said Nick. Miles stuck out his bottom lip in disappointment.

"He's always in a meeting," said Miles, plopping down in a La-z Boy.

"Where have you been?" asked Nick.

"Game room. I was kicking ass in pinball," said Miles. Nick chuckled.

"What happened?" asked Nick.

"I lost after awhile," said Miles.

"Oh well," said Nick, shrugging.

"Are you going to introduce us?" asked Annie, taking her reading glasses off.

"Oh sorry. Annie White, Miles Harrison, Robert's son. Miles, this is Annie White. She's helping your dad," said Nick.

"Are you a lawyer too?" asked Miles. Annie nodded.

"Prosecutor like your dad," said Annie. Miles nodded. He let out a sigh.

"Need more money?" asked Nick. Miles gave a sheepish smile.

"Yeah," said Miles. "But I don't want to impose. I'll wait for Dad." Nick nodded. There was a few seconds of silence before his cell phone rang.

"Nick here," said Nick answering. He frowned as listened to the caller.

"Oh God. OK. I'll be there," said Nick. He hung up.

"What's wrong?" asked Annie. Nick sighed.

"One of the witnesses was found murdered in her apartment," said Nick. Annie gasped.

"Who?" asked Annie.

"Dina Warren. She was one of the few people who claims she saw Murdock moving a body," said Nick.

"Could be unrelated to the case," said Annie.

"Could be. But I have a feeling something else is at stake," said Nick. He handed Miles a twenty so he could talk business without Miles being there.

"Go kick pinball ass," said Nick. Miles grinned and left. Nick turned to Annie.

"There's evidence to suggest a professional hit man might be in town to cause some damage to the investigation," said Nick.

"There's a lot of witnesses involved in this case. He'd have to kill a lot of people to ruin the prosecution's case," said Annie. Nick nodded.

"He just might. We think the Archangel is involved," said Nick. Annie's mouth dropped in shock. Nick nodded. He had to start protecting his witnesses. Or else the city morgue would be very busy that night.

Vincent walked towards the far side of the hotel as people moved towards the elevators. John had escorted Carey downstairs. Cyrus was watching the boys. Cody had fallen asleep and Zack was watching TV. Vincent didn't expect Zack to give Cyrus any trouble. Cyrus had orders to kill Cody if Zack even looked at him funny. If Carey tried anything, John would call up to the suite and Carey would have to start shopping for twin coffins. Vincent went into killer as he saw his target. Hector Montoya was finishing his job for the day. He worked as an assistant to Arwin Hockhauser, the hotel maintenance guy. Hector was putting away some cleaning supplies in a supply closet. The hall was deserted. Vincent drew his gun and shot Hector in the eye. Hector fell back into the closet, blood spraying over the wall. Vincent closed the door and locked it with the keys Hector had dropped. He pocketed the keys and headed towards the elevator. Three down, four to go.

Thought I'd be nice and not end with a cliffhanger. The body count is now three. Fair warning, it starts to rise a lot for the rest of the story. I have another question. Vincent is the main bad guy of the story now. Is he scary or do I need to work on the evil factor some more? I'd appreciate a lot of answers to this question. Thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry about the wait. This chapter has pretty icky cliffhanger. Please keep the reviews up. Thank you.

Chapter 5

Carey's nerves went away the minute she started singing. She got in the zone and for the time being forgot about Vincent and his thugs. When she was taken a set break after a few songs, Carey began to think that Vincent really didn't intend to harm her or the boys. If he was a professional hit man then he needed to make a fast exit when it was time for him to leave. A dead mother and her two thirteen-year-old boys would draw too much attention to him. Carey would just have to stay with her boys and wait for the night to end.

Vincent snuck into his next victim's suite. The shower was in. They were here. Vincent crept towards the bathroom, his gun in front of him. He didn't know much about this hit. The targets name was Kevin Morrow. He was a witness in an upcoming murder trial. Vincent didn't know if he was connected to Murdock. The shower went off. Vincent stood outside the bathroom, waiting for the door to open. He heard movement inside. Vincent braced himself for the kill, getting himself into his kill zone. The door opened and out stepped a boy Zack and Cody's age. Kevin Morrow was a kid. Vincent nearly had a heart attack. No wonder he knew nothing about the target. He had one rule for his employers. He didn't kill kids. It wasn't his thing. Kevin Morrow looked at him with terror-filled eyes. Vincent hesitated for a few seconds. The hesitation passed and Vincent put a bullet in Kevin's forehead. Kevin fell to the ground as a shower of crimson shot from his head. Vincent sighed as he lowered his gun. The door to the suite opened. Vincent spun around and fired. The bellhop who had entered went down as two bullets hit his chest.

"Fuck," said Vincent. He ran over to the door and looked up and down the hallway. Empty. At least now it was. Vincent pulled the bellhop into the suite. He was still alive. His nametag said Esteban.

"Sorry, Esteban. Nothing personal. Just business," said Vincent. He finished Esteban off with a bullet in the head. Vincent dragged Esteban and Kevin into the bathroom. He cleaned some of the blood up and made a fast exit. He had to get back to the Martin suite.

Eddie Fenton was a sleazy defense attorney. That was his reputation and that's how lawyers and cops looked at him. Eddie didn't care. If a serial killer or child molester was willing to cough up the dough, Eddie would make sure they got off. Sometimes the case was over before it reached the courtroom. Eddie was one of the few people who called Vincent Lassiter a friend. Tonight Vincent was helping Eddie out again. Eddie didn't like the idea of having hostages. But Dennis Murdock had insisted. Especially since every target was at the Tipton that night. Including Dennis. The news of Dina Warren's death had already reached the cops. It wouldn't be long before Nick Miller put all the pieces together and made a connection to Eddie. Eddie had to hide out with Vincent. He sighed as he knocked on the suite door. Cyrus answered. Two boys were watching TV on the couch.

"Hey, Eddie," said Cyrus.

"Cyrus. Where's Vince?" asked Eddie.

"Out working," said Cyrus, sitting down at a table. Eddie sat down next to him.

"How are the hostages behaving?" asked Eddie. Cyrus brought him up to speed.

"Most have to learn the hard way," said Eddie. Cyrus simply nodded. The two talked quietly as Zack and Cody watched TV in an uncomfortable. Cody was leaning his head against Zack's shoulder. His leg was feeling a lot better. Vincent hadn't done any major damage. Probably cause he hadn't intended to.

Carey sighed as she rode the elevator up to the suite. John was standing next to her.

"You sing beautifully," said John.

"Thank you," said Carey.

"I'm glad you didn't try anything. I don't want anything to happen to you or your boys," said John.

"What do you care about us?" asked Carey.

"Unlike Vincent and Cyrus, I have a conscience," said John. The elevator reached the 23rd floor. Carey couldn't get to the suite fast enough. She was desperate to see Zack and Cody. She was surprised to find someone else though. She didn't think of it at the moment though. She went right over to her boys. She sat between them as they snuggled against her. The next few minutes went by in slow motion. Vincent returned, looking a little frustrated. He talked briefly with his men. Then John pulled out a small knife. He stabbed Cyrus in the neck. He punched Vincent and kicked the new person in the face. He was strong so both Vincent and the new guy went down hard.

"FBI. Vincent Lassiter, you're under arrest," said John, his gun now drawn and trained on Vincent.

"You motherfucker," said Vincent. Cyrus was gagging as he tried to stop the bleeding in his neck. Carey winced at the sight of it. Zack saw the man named Eddie pulling a knife out of his pocket. John didn't see him. Before Zack could say anything, Eddie shoved the knife in John's ankle. John screamed as Vincent kicked him to the ground. Vincent stood up and shot John in both knees. John tried to scream but Vincent kicked him in the mouth.

"Now you'll pay. You can watch as I kill one of them," said Vincent. Carey's eyes widened. Vincent walked over and grabbed Zack by the hair. Zack screamed and kicked but Vincent kneed him in the stomach. He put Zack on the table and ripped his shirt off. He took out a small knife.

"Let's play doctor, John," said Vincent. John, Carey, and Cody watched in horror as Vincent drew the knife along Zack's stomach. Zack was screaming his head off but it was ruffled as Eddie was holding a hand over his mouth. John knew what Vincent would eventually do. He would cut Zack open and let his insides fall on the floor. He was just making harder to watch. He finished cutting Zack. The cuts weren't deep but blood covered Zack's entire stomach. Zack was screaming in pain but his screams were muffled by Eddie's mouth. Vincent glared at John.

"Now. Do you want to see the small intestine or large intestine?"


	6. Chapter 6

Here's chapter 6. I'm on a roll. The story ends at chapter 10. This is the last chapter in the suite. From 7 to 10 it's a pure out struggle for survival. Hope you like this one. Some pretty intense stuff happens. That's why it has a M rating. Please review. Thanks.

Chapter 6

Carey watched in horror as Vincent got ready to gut Zack like a fish. Zack's eyes were wide with terror. Cyrus had pulled the knife from his neck and was trying to stop the bleeding. Carey stood up.

"Please. I beg of you. Don't hurt him," said Carey, tears pouring down her face.

"Shut the fuck up," said Vincent. Zack was crying now. He said something but it was muffled by Eddie's hand.

"What did he say?" asked Vincent.

"He said 'I don't want to die'," said Eddie, grinning.

"Well, he can blame John for his death," said Vincent.

"Kill me instead, Vincent. Show some mercy," said John.

"Vincent, the FBI are involved. We need to get out of here. John set us up," said Cyrus, gagging every once and awhile. Vincent looked down at Zack. The boy was still crying. Vincent sighed. He couldn't do it. He could only kill a kid if he absolutely needed to. Vincent grabbed Zack by the hair and threw him to Carey. Zack balled his eyes out as Carey embraced him. Her shirt was soon covered in Zack's blood.

"I need to clean him up in the bathroom," said Carey.

"Go. Cyrus, go with them. Fix yourself up. Die he cut you deep?" asked Vincent. Cyrus shook his head and stood up. He followed Carey and Zack to the bathroom. Cody was sitting perfectly still on the couch, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Vincent glared at John. He then leaned down and shoved the knife into John's chest. John gasped and coughed up blood. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he was still. John was dead.

"Fucking FBI," said Vincent. He dragged John's body into the room where Dennis was. The room now reeked of blood.

Zack winced as Carey cleaned his cuts with hydrogen peroxide. Cyrus was leaning against the wall, watching.

"Could we have some privacy?" asked Carey. Cyrus didn't say anything. Carey noticed he was sweating and his eyes darted around. She knew something was wrong. Then it hit her. She recognized Cyrus from the news a few months back. He was a convicted sex offender who had escaped from jail. He was guilty of numerous counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault on minors. Cyrus lunged at Carey. He threw her against the bathroom mirror. The mirror shattered and Carey fell to the ground. The wind was knocked out of her. Cyrus held Zack down on the ground.

"Oh my God, no," said Zack. Cyrus fumbled with Zack's belt.

"No, please don't," said Zack. Cyrus licked his lips in sickening hunger. Then Carey lunged forward with a piece of broken glass in her hand. She jammed into Cyrus' neck wound. Cyrus gagged as Carey made the cut even deeper. Blood gushed everywhere. Cyrus fell to the ground. Carey looked at him with fury in her eyes.

"Don't touch my boys," said Carey. She backed up. Cyrus coughed a little more before he went limp. His eyes slowly closed. Carey gathered Zack in her arms. All Zack could do was cry. Carey cried with him. The bathroom door burst open. Vincent stood in the doorway with his gun drawn. He looked at Carey and Zack and then at Cyrus. He sighed.

"What happened?" asked Vincent.

"He tried to rape Zack," said Carey.

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry. I thought he would be able to control himself," said Vincent. "Looks like he paid though." Carey didn't say anything. She felt no remorse for what she had done. A lot of times she talked about being a mama bear protecting her cubs. Someone had just tried to hurt one of her cubs. She had mauled him to death.

Carey cleaned Zack up and got him settled on the couch with his brother. Cody had fallen asleep and Zack soon did too. Carey covered them with a blanket and kissed them both on the head. It was midnight. Luckily time was going fast.

"We'll be gone by six. I only have two more jobs. You just took care of one of my jobs," said Vincent. He was sitting at the table. Eddie was leaning against the wall.

"He was on your list too? Why didn't you kill him before?" asked Carey.

"I never look ahead to see who I have to kill," said Vincent. "I only now where to go and if a lot of targets are in one area." Carey nodded. She was shaking a little. Vincent sighed.

"First kill is never easy," said Vincent.

"You say that like I'm going to kill someone again," said Carey. Vincent smiled.

"You never know. Some other sick fuck might try to get in one of yours boys pants," said Vincent. "You might jab a piece of broken glass into his neck too." He chuckled a little. Carey didn't say anything.

"Eddie, I have to go. Watch them. If she tries anything, well, you know," said Vincent, standing up. Eddie nodded. Vincent left. His neck kill would be a little tricky. The Tipton staff members were working extra late that night. Orders from the owner. Vincent's target worked in the lobby. He had to get them somewhere private. His prayers were answered when he rounded a corner. His target was walking right towards him. He got in front of her.

"Hello, Maddie," said Vincent. Maddie Fitzpatrick raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me. Do I know you? I'm in a hurry. There was a noise complaint from one of the suites. My boss sent me to check on it since I know the boys," said Maddie. Vincent sighed. He then shot Maddie in the stomach. He grabbed onto her so she wouldn't fall. Maddie gagged and whimpered as she slowly died.

"Sorry, honey. That's what you get for taking sides with your Mom in a divorce," said Vincent. Maddie let out her last breath. Vincent slowly put her body down. He could leave her. He didn't give a shit. Vincent pulled out his palmpilot and checked to see who his final target was. He nearly fainted. His employer was a local basketball coach who had lost to the same team for two years. All because of one player. He was desperate. He wanted that player taken out. Vincent had to smile as he looked at his final target's pictue. Smiling at him from the screen was Zack Martin.


	7. Chapter 7

Second to last chapter. I don't want the story to go on too long. Eight chapters of intense, bloody, and violent action will be enough. Please review as always.

Chapter 7

Nick Miller scratched his head as he looked down at the two dead bodies. Thirteen-year-old Kevin Morrow stared up at him with dead eyes, blood all over his face. The other victim, Esteban, had three bullets in him. The bodies had been discovered by a maid. Annie White was leaning against the wall.

"Kevin Morrow was the key witness in an upcoming murder trial. Not Dennis Murdock," said Annie.

"Who's on trial?" asked Nick.

"His stepfather. A man named Lionel Hutchinson. He beat Kevin's mother to death with a crowbar. Kevin was watching from a closet. He escaped and ran to a neighbor's house where he called the police. We put him here so he'd be safe." She let out a long sigh.

"Guess we fucked up," said Annie. A detective ran into the room.

"Nick, the manager just found another body upstairs. It's the candy counter girl. She's been shot to death," said the detective.

"What the fuck is going on?" asked another detective. Nick sighed and leaned against the bathroom wall.

"Call the FBI. The Archangel is inside the hotel. My guess is he's posing as a guest. I want this hotel shut down."

Eddie Fenton never made mistakes. He found he survived longer that way. But he made his first and final mistake that night when he let his guard down while walking past Carey to go get a magazine from a far table. Carey had overcome one of her captors. She had saved one of her boys from being raped. Now she was going to save them all from being executed. She had slipped a letter opener off a nearby table. She had used it previously that night to threaten Cyrus. Later she stabbed Cyrus to death with a piece of glass. Now she jammed the letter opener into Eddie's shin. Eddie cried out and fell to the floor. Carey took his gun away from him. She stood above him, the gun aimed at his face.

"Go to hell," said Carey. She pulled the trigger. Eddie's face exploded in a shower of flesh and blood. She turned around to find the boys looking at her their mouths wide open.

"We're getting out of here. Cops must be all over this place. I can see the lights on the street from up here. I'm going to take down Vincent and then we'll go find a cop." Zack and Cody nodded their eyes darting back and forth from their mother to Eddie's mangled face. Carey kissed both boys on the forehead and the three of them embraced. It was them against a psychopath. The worst of the gang. Carey had a sick feeling that neither of them would walk away from the showdown with Vincent.

Marion Moseby continued to cry as he sat in the hallway. Poor Maddie. She had never done anything wrong to anyone. Who would want to kill her? Detective Brenda Parker knelt down next to Moseby.

"Mr. Moseby, I've sorry about Maddie. But I need to ask you some questions. The killer may still be inside the hotel." Moseby nodded.

"Did any of the staff have anything against Maddie?" Moseby shook his head.

"She was loved by every employee. She was such a sweet girl. My God, who would want to hurt such a wonderful person?" He broke down and started sobbing. Brenda sighed. She motioned for one of the officers on the scene to come over.

"Take Mr. Moseby downstairs and get him something to eat and drink. I want this hotel cleared out soon too."

"Nick Miller is taking the lead on a double homicide upstairs. He thinks he knows who killed Maddie."

"I'd like to speak to good ol' Nick." Moseby was lead down to the lobby. Brenda sighed. This was going to be a long night.

Carey looked up as Vincent opened the door to the suite.. She raised the gun. She had turned the lights off in order to get an advantage over Vincent. Carey fired. Vincent groaned and slumped to the ground, the door closing behind him. His gun flew across the room. Carey slowly approached Vincent. She never saw it coming. Vincent kicked an overturned chair at her. The bullet had grazed his shoulder. He stood up and turned on the lights. Carey lay on the ground, the wind knocked out of her. Vincent drew his spare gun.

"You got brave. Killing Cyrus put you in psycho mode. Good for you, Carey," said Vincent. He kicked Carey in the side. Carey cried out in pain. Vincent narrowed his eyes.

"Now you can watch as I complete my final job," said Vincent. Carey raised an eyebrow. Vincent pointed the gun at Zack's head. Zack's eyes widened.

"Me? I'm just a kid," said Zack.

"Who won too many basketball games? Guess Coach Rollins is a fucking psycho," said Vincent.

"He coaches my school's rival basketball team," said Zack.

"He wants you dead," said Vincent. He cocked his gun.

"This won't hurt," said Vincent. Carey's instinct took over, despite the throbbing pain in her side. She kicked Vincent as hard as she could between the legs. Vincent grunted and slumped to his knees. But not before he pulled the trigger. The bullet missed Zack's head. But it managed to hit his ear, mangling it and sending blood everywhere. Zack fell to the ground screaming. Vincent went to blow his brains out. Carey grabbed the gun. It went off, this time hitting the wall. Cody tended to his screaming brother. Carey was wrestling on the ground with Vincent. Shots went off as they struggled for the gun. If Carey could get the silencer off, then one shot would bring a swarm of cops. Soon the gun was empty. Carey kneed Vincent in the groin again. That gave her a few precious seconds. The two had rolled to the far side of the room. By a bookcase. Carey stood up and brought the bookcase down on Vincent. He cried out for just a few seconds. Then silence. Carey limped over to Zack and Cody. Cody had ripped part of his shirt off and used it as bandage on Zack's ear. Zack was crying softly. Carey picked him up, cradling him in her arms. She slowly walked out of the suite, Cody following her. Vincent lay motionless under the bookcase.

It didn't them long to find a cop. They weren't interrogated right away. Zack needed to get to the hospital pronto. Before they knew it, they were with Zack in an ambulance racing towards the hospital. Zack was taken into surgery the second they arrived. He needed serious work on his mangled ear. Cody was given an x-ray on his hurt leg and doctors decided to operate to fix the damage. Carey was taken to a waiting room, where Nick Miller was waiting to question her. Carey spoke calmly and slowly as she told Nick what had happened.

"They're all dead. Murdock. John. Cyrus. Eddie. Vincent. They're all dead," said Carey.

"You say there were five of them?" asked Nick. Carey nodded. Nick rubbed his chin.

"There were only four bodies in your suite. This man Vincent. How did you kill him?" asked Nick.

"Crushed him with a bookcase," said Carey. Nick sighed.

"There was no body under the bookcase. Seems he got away. No worries. He's a professional. He'll get out of town. You'll never see him again," said Nick.

"If John was FBI, how come no one came to help us?" asked Carey.

"John wasn't able to contact his colleagues without risking your lives. He was trying to protect you," said Nick. Carey nodded. Nick sighed and left the room. Carey closed her eyes and gladly let sleep take over.

The elevator doors opened. The elevator had come up from the hospital's sub-levels. This late at night, anyone could sneak in undetected. Anyone who didn't want to be seen. His instinct told him to go catch his flight. But his fury was greater. He was going to finish what he started. Vincent Lassiter cocked his gun, getting ready for the final three kills of the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Final chapter. Thanks everyone for reading. Please review.

Chapter 8

Carey jumped as someone shook her awake.

"Mrs. Martin?" asked a nurse who was standing over her.

"Yes," said Carey.

"Your son Cody just got out of surgery," said the nurse.

"Oh, thank God. How is he?" questioned Carey.

"Just fine. The surgery went very well," replied the nurse. "There wasn't a whole lot of damage. Just some tissue damage and a few cracks in the bone. He'll be able to go home in a few days." Carey nodded.

"Do you know how my other son is doing?" asked Carey.

"Yes. There was some very significant damage but the surgeons are confident they'll be able to restore his ear to normal. He may need one or two more surgeries to help him get his hearing back. But doctors are very confident he'll make a complete recovery," explained the nurse. Carey let out a deep sigh. It was over. Her boys would be OK. Carey followed the nurse down to Cody's room. He was sleeping peacefully with his hurt leg in a cast. He an air tube in his nose and some sensors taped to his chest to monitor his heart rate. Carey ran a hand through his hair.

"Hey, Cody. I'm here now. Everything's going to be OK. You were so brave tonight," said Carey softly. She sat with Cody for a few minutes, crying quietly. She started to think about the fact that she had killed two men. It made her feel sick to her stomach. It made her feel even more sick to think about what Cyrus could have done to Zack. Or what that sick lawyer would have done to any of them. Carey left Cody's room and headed to the bathroom. She threw up a little in a sink and splashed some water on her face.

"It's over. The boys are safe. Don't worry yourself to death," said Carey, staring down as the water went down the drain. When she looked up into the mirror, she gasped. Vincent was standing behind her. And he did not look happy. Vincent slammed her head into the mirror and threw her to the ground. Carey moaned in pain as she hit the bathroom tile with a sickening thud. Vincent loomed over her, his gun pointed at her shoulder. He fired. Carey let out a cry as the bullet ripped through her flesh. Vincent smiled evilly.

"You've been fucking with me all night. I told you that everything would be over at dawn. It's dawn in about ten minutes. My flight leaves soon. But I think I'll stick around. So when you take your last breath I want you to think about something. Think about me torturing your boys before I kill them. Think about their screams of pain and terror. Think about the blood pouring from their mangled bodies. And think about me, showing no mercy and taking absolute pleasure in every second." Carey started crying. For the first time in her life she felt powerless to protect her children. Through every hardship the boys went through in life, Carey always felt there was a way to keep them safe and get them out of harms way. But now she felt there was no way to stop Vincent from viciously murdering her boys. Then fate intervened. The bathroom door opened and a nurse walked in. Vincent fired a shot into the nurses head. Carey sprang into action. She kicked Vincent in the head and between the legs. Vincent moaned in pain and fell to the ground. His gun slid under a stall. Carey stood up and raced out of the room. The hospital was practically empty. But Carey knew that Nick Miller was somewhere in the hospital. She had to get to him. As Carey was racing down the hall, she heard the bathroom door burst open and Vincent run into the hall. A bullet whizzed past Carey's ear. Carey rounded a corner. She saw Nick talking to a doctor in a room at the far end of the hall. Carey started for the room when she heard Vincent approaching the hall. Carey ducked into an empty room. She knew Vincent wasn't far behind. Carey turned off the lights and hid under the bed. She held her breath as Vincent passed the room. Carey closed her eyes and started to pray. Her heart began to race when the door opened.

"Carey, get out from under the bed," said Vincent in a very calm and eerie voice. Carey gulped. Vincent slowly turned the lights on in the room.

"Carey, get out from under the bed," said Vincent. Carey let out a loud cry.

"If you don't I'm going to go shoot Cody in the face. Get the fuck out from under the bed," ordered Vincent. Carey slowly crawled out from under the bed. Vincent motioned for her to sit on the bed.

"Please leave the boys alone. Kill me if you have to. Just leave them alone," said Carey. Vincent narrowed his eyes. He prepared to shoot. Carey took one last chance at survival. She launched herself at Vincent. The two crashed into the door. It burst open, spilling the two into the hall. Nick Miller had been walking towards the room, attracted by Carey's cry. He drew his gun and fired two shots in Vincent's throat as Vincent stood up. Vincent gagged as blood shot everywhere. He leaned against the wall. Nick finished him off with three bullets in the chest. Carey was crying on the ground as Vincent's dead body slid down the wall, red smearing everywhere. Nick helped Carey up and took her to get medical attention.

It took awhile for backup to arrive. Nick stayed with Carey as her wound was stitched up. Zack was out of surgery so Carey went to be with him. Zack was doing better then expected. His ear had been rebuilt and the internal damage had been fixed. He was sleeping soundly with a bandage wrapped around his head and a tube in his mouth. Carey rubbed his head and smiled. It was over. Vincent was dead. The nightmare was over. Carey sighed and fell asleep in her chair.

Zack lay in his hospital bed. It was a week later. Cody had been released from the hospital and had full movement of his leg. Zack still had a quite a struggle ahead of him. He needed two or three more surgeries on his ear. He only had a single bandage on his ear instead of having one wrapped around his entire head. Zack looked up as Carey walked into the room.

"Hey, honey," said Carey. Zack gave her a weak smile. Carey sat down next to him.

"How do you feel?" asked Carey. Zack shrugged. Carey held his hand.

"Mom, I need to ask you something," said Zack. Carey nodded.

"Why did you want that man to shoot me instead of Cody?" asked Zack, his eyes welling up with tears. Carey sighed.

"Because you're stronger. I know you'll forgive me one day. Imagine how it would effect Cody if I chose him. He'd think I hated him. He would become an emotional wreck. But I know you'll come to understand why I did it." Tears came to Carey's eyes. Zack started to cry too. Carey pulled him into a hug.

"I forgive you Mom," said Zack through his tears. Carey smiled and kissed him on the head. Zack fell asleep in her arms. Carey laid him back down and watched him sleep, wondering what the future held for them.

That's it. Pray for Dawn comes to an end. Hope you all like the ending. Thank you for reading. I didn't put much after Vincent's death because I felt that his death was really the end of the story since all the angst came from him. I put in the Zack scene based on requests from a reader. Thank you everyone for reading. Sequel may or may not come. It depends on if everyone would like to see the characters again and see another suspenseful and gruesome fic like this again. There is a story called Mania which is my new big suspense story. Please read that. It's a Zack fic and I'm really excited about it. My first romance too. It's kind of a dark, suspenseful, angsty, romance story. I want more readers. Until next time


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